Chapter 52 - First Time Again

I step out of Deanna's house, leaving her in the care of Spencer. Abraham went and buried Reg and took away Pete's body while I took her home after watching her grieve where he died for an hour or so. Everyone in the group has gone to do different things, taking care of business like Rick instructed us too. I walk back towards the house and I think of how quickly things turned tonight and it just reminds me that nothing is ever going to be easy again.

I run my hands over my face as I walk up the steps to the house, seeing the light on inside. I open the door before shutting it behind me and begin to walk towards the stairs when I see Rick looking down at something on the dining table. Daryl and the man he came back with, Morgan, are eating at the kitchen island. The three men turn and look at me, but my eyes remain on Daryl. We exchange a look for a moment before I turn and make my way up the steps to my room.

I go into my room and shut the door behind me. Walking over to the bed I kick my shoes off before turning and falling back onto the soft mattress. I lay one arm over my eyes while the other rests across my stomach. I lay like that for awhile when someone knocks on my door.

"Come in." I say, assuming it's Rick coming in to see how Deanna is doing.

The door opens up and I lean up on my arms and am met with a person I didn't expect to see. Daryl steps in and closes the door behind him, his eyes examining me.

"What're you doing here?" I ask.

He shifts his weight on his foot, his hands dug deep into his pockets as he chews at his lower lip, his eyes lost in thought.

"Dare?" I ask, wondering what is going on.

"Aaron and I got surrounded by walkers today and it was a close call." He says.

I sit up on the bed and stare at him with wide eyes, "You what?!"

He chews at his bottom lip before he continues, "We were following this guy when we found a place that has all these supplies. We were checking out this food supply truck to see if we could bring it back, but we didn't know that someone set it up as a trap and we got surrounded. We were going to die, not ready to go down without a fight. Just as we were about to go Morgan found us, he saved our lives." He explains.

"Oh my God." I whisper, my heart pounding in my chest, "Are you okay?" I ask, looking him over for any signs of bites or scratches.

He nods his head, his long hair falling into his eyes, "Yeah, but I couldn't stop thinking about something while I was in that car, waiting for it all to go down."

"What was that?" I ask, my eyebrow raised.

"You." He says, looking me right in the eye, "Me?" I say, my heart constricting at his words.

He nods his head once more, "Yeah."

"Why?" I ask.

He tilts his head to the side, "You know why." He says causing my heart to flutter.

I stare at him for a long moment, conflicting thoughts running through my mind and I shake my head as I get to my feet, "You're so confusing. I mean one minute you don't want anything to do with me and now you're saying I was the only thing you could think as you were about to die? I mean what the hell am I supposed to make of that Dare?"

"I wasn't thinking clearly then." He says and I turn and face him, "You don't think I know that? That I didn't see what happened for what is was? I was there for you, trying my best to support you as you were dealing with what happened with Beth. You pushed me away, saying some extremely hurtful things in the process. And now you're saying this? What are you doing to me?"

"You know that I'm not the most fluent guy, I'm not good with words or feelings. I push people away, keep them out to protect them from me." He says, stepping forward.

"What makes you think that I need to be protected from you huh?" I ask.

"I'm not good for you and you know it. Everyone I care about ends up getting hurt. Merle died, Beth died and you... I made sure that that man would never come into our lives again and he did the worst things imaginable to you and I wasn't there to help you. I let you down!" He says, getting worked up.

I shake my head frustratedly, wishing he would get it, "What happened with Dean had nothing to do with you. Rick kicked me out because I killed Karen and David. Running into Dean was the universe's way of getting back at me for that. There was no way you could have stopped it from happening and we both know that I can protect myself when it comes to people like him. You need to stop taking the blame for things that are out of your control Daryl because pretty soon you will crumble under that pressure and I can't see you do that. It hurts too much to see the person you love end up like that."

He doesn't say anything as he looks at me and after a while he takes a step towards me, reaching out but I step back towards the wall and shake my head, "No Dare, you can't just walk back in here and think that everything is going to be okay between us. You can't just push me away when it gets too tough and then come back and pretend like it's all okay. Do you know how much that hurts? I can't keep doing this over and over again." I say, feeling myself getting worked up.

"So what're you saying?" He asks.

"I'm saying that if this is going to work, you can't leave again when it gets too hard. That you're going to ignore me and push me away and think that you're not good enough for me, I'm a big a big enough girl to decide that on my own. You are the only person that I ever want to be with, that I've ever really wanted to be with. We were meant to be, I knew from the moment we met and I know you did too. That's why we never left those houses, why we never got into serious relationships with other people and why we made that promise. I meant it Daryl, always. I'm always going to love you and be here for you. Did you mean it?" I ask, looking up at him desperately.

"Yeah, I meant it." He says, taking a step towards me.

I stare at him for a long moment, raw emotion building up inside of me, "Prove it." I whisper.

His demeanour changes and he takes the final step towards me, taking my face into his hands and kissing me with intense passion. He walks us backwards without breaking the kiss until my back hits the wall with a thump and my hands reach up and wind into his hair. I tug at it and he lets out a grunt, his lips moving to my neck. I throw my head and back as my breath quickens and I feel myself become breathless.

My hands pull at his vest and I tug it off, tossing it to the ground. He continues to kiss me as I grab at the front of his shirt and rip it open, buttons flying everywhere. My nails dig into his skin as they pull the shirt away and I hear him groan at the feeling. He reaches my mouth once more and pulls off my jacket, adding it to the pile of clothes by my feet. His hands run all over me before ripping open my shirt. These actions are full of passion and longing, our feelings coming out that we've been holding back.

We both need this, need each other and we're no longer denying it. This is it now, no more being apart and hiding what we feel. We're together now and nothing is going to come in between us.

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We're all crowded into Deanna's living room, having a follow up meeting after the one last night. Yesterday Rick went to go bury Pete's body outside the community with Morgan and they found something that is a threat to us all. There is a quarry, filled to the brim with walkers and according to Rick, if we don't do something about it they'll break out and make a beeline straight for Alexandria. The meeting last night discussed a plan of what to do, today is just to rehash it to the rest of the community.

We've been here a while now and I can see people beginning to get worked up over it. One of the Alexandrian men steps forward to speak. His name is Heath and he and his crew have been out on an extensive supply since before we arrived here, only just returning yesterday.

He looks around, "My team. We saw it early on, back when we were on one of those first scouts, finding out what was around here." He explains, looking us all over, "There was a camp at the bottom. The people must have blocked the exits with one of those trucks back when everything started to go bad. They didn't make it, they were all roamers. Maybe a dozen of them." He states.

"No one's been back since?" Maggie asks from her spot beside Glenn on the couch and I can't help but look at the bruises on his face.

He missed the meeting last night with Nicholoas, the man that murdered Noah. Both men claim that they went out and got attacked by walkers but I feel there is something more to the story. The way they interact with one another assures me there's something more to the story. I don't believe that it was that simple, none of us do.

I turn back to Heath in time to see him shake his head, "DC. Every time we're scavenging, they're all in another direction and I never really felt like having a picnic next to the camp that ate itself." He explains.

"So all the while the walkers are being drawn by the sound. They're making more sound and they're drawing more in." Michonne muses.

Rick shakes his head, "And here we are. Now what I'm proposing, I know it sounds risky but walkers are already slipping through the exits. One of the trucks keeping the walkers in, could go off the edge any day now. Maybe after one more hard rain. That exit sends them East. All of them, right at us." Rick explains and a know that he's right, "This isn't about if it gives, it's when. It's gonna happen. That's why we have to do this soon."

"This is... I don't even have another word for it. This is terrifying. All of it, but it doesn't sound like there's any other way." Carol says, keeping up her act for the Alexandrian residents.

A man next to her, Carter, gives her a look, "Maybe there is. Couldn't we just build up the weak spots? I could draw up plans, I worked on the wall with Reg. Construction crew. We could try and make it safe." He argues but soon Rick cuts him off, "Even if we could, the sound of those walkers is drawing more and more of them in every day. Building up the exits won't change that."

"We're gonna do what Rick says, the plan he's laid out." Deanna states, not turning away from her spot by the window.

Rick looks at her for a moment before turning back to everyone, "I told you all, we're gonna have Daryl leading them away." He says and I glance over at him as he sits on the window ledge.

"Me too. I'll take a car right next to him. It can't just be him. I'll keep them coming, Daryl keeps them from getting sloppy." Sasha pipes up.

"I'll go with her," Abraham speaks up, "It's a long way to ride along solo."

Rick rubs his hands together, "Alright, we'll have two teams. One each side of the forest helping manage this thing. We're gonna have a few people on watch from now on. Rosita, Spencer and Holly, so they're out. So who's in?" Rick asks, looking around at all of us.

"Me." Michonne says.

People begin to talk amongst themselves, trying to decide who will help and soon Glenn speaks up, "I'm in."

I nod my head and turn to Rick, "Me too."

It is quiet for a moment before Gabriel speaks up, "I'd like to help as well." He says and Rick shuts him down immediately, "No. Who else? We need more." Rick says and I glare in Gabriel's direction.

"There's gotta be another play. We can't just control that many." Carter speaks up and once again Rick cuts him off, "I said it before, walkers herd up. They'll follow a path if something's drawing them. That's how we get them all at once."

"What? We're supposed to just take your word for it?" Carter asks, looking at Rick unconvinced, "We're all supposed to just fall in line after..." He trails off, staring at him.

"After what?" Rick asks, staring Carter down.

"After you wave a gun around. Screaming, pointing it at people. After you shot a man in the face. After you-" He accuses and Deanna cuts him off, "Enough!" She yells, wheeling around to face us all.

Everyone is quiet, tension thick in the air until someone speaks, "I'll do it." Heath says, stepping forward.

"Me too." Francine adds, raising her hand.

"Whatever you need, I'm in." Tobin adds from beside Rick.

"Now who else?" Deanna asks, her eyes scanning over the crowd and Nicholas slowly raises his hand in the air, "I'll go." He states and I notice the enraged look on Glenn's face.

"We have to do this, I need to help." He states and Rick glances at Glenn for a moment before turning to Nicholas, "Are you sure you can handle it?"

"You need people." He states and Rick nods before turning back to everyone, "We'll make this work. We'll keep this place safe, we'll keep our families safe. We will."

"The plan, go through it again." Carter states and Daryl turns to him frustrated, "Man, he just said it." But Carter ignores him, "Every part again. The exact plan." He states.

Rick looks at him for a moment before nodding his head, looking directly at Carter, "We begin here at Alexandria."

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The blade of the shovel cuts into the dirt and I push it down, lifting the dirt up and out of the way. Sweat trickles down the side of my face and into my shirt as I run my arm over my forehead. People work hard around us, begin to set up the wall along the road. I feel someone place a hand on my back and I turn to see Carol standing there, holding out some water.

"Thank you." I whisper gratefully, taking a drink from the cup.

"How're you doing?" She asks as I hand the cup back to her.

I shrug my shoulders, "I'm fine. What about you huh?" I ask, "I know you're annoyed that you can't come with us."

She nods her head, "Yeah, I'm annoyed but I guess that's what I gotta do."

I nod my head and I see Daryl shovelling dirt into the wheelbarrow and she notices my stare, "How're things between you two?"

A small smile plays on the side of my lips and I nod, "Yeah, pretty good."

She chuckles and gives me a knowing look, "Really? That good huh?"

I nod my head and chuckle and she stares at me for a second before speaking, "For what it's worth, I've always known it was going to be you too."

I turn my head up and look at her as she glances over at him, "I watched you guys back at the quarry when it all began, how you were at the farm... You're an amazing team and you care for each other so much. I'm glad he finally pulled his head in."

I smile as I look over at him, "Yeah, me too."

She gives me a smile and gives my arm a squeeze before walking away. I glance at Daryl for a moment more and see him looking at me. I give him a nod before turning and continue to dig once more. Some time later I hear a commotion coming off from the side and I see walkers emerging from the trees. I pull my knife out from my belt and make my way over.

Rick holds his arm out to stop us, "Hold it." He says before turning to the others, "Use your shovels, guns will draw more."

"Help us!" Carter demands as the walkers get closer and I can see them getting distressed.

"You can do this, you need to. All of you!" Rick urges.

One of them pushes them back and they pull out their guns, none of them moving due to fear. Morgan rushes forward and Rick calls out, "Morgan!"

The rest of us rush forward towards the group and proceed to take them out effortlessly and the other Alexandrians look on in shock.

"You said you don't take chances anymore." Morgan states.

Rick eyes him for a moment before turning and walking away. There is tension around and Deanna calls out to everyone, "Let's get back to work."

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We all stand around as Rick explains to us the plan, listening to him intently. It's the day before the big plan and we're actually walking it through to get a feel of what's going to happen tomorrow. I see everyone looking around with worried expressions and I can't blame them, this is a risky plan. But if we pull it off we won't have to worry about the walkers anymore.

"Now this is the fence line, when we make it to Green we fall back. The ditches and ridges will keep them on the road. We head home, but Daryl, Sasha and Abraham take them the rest of the way twenty miles more. Now let's go." Rick says, turning and beginning to walk forward with the rest of us following after him.

We walk a fair distance before we stop at the tractor place, the sound of a dozen or so walkers coming from inside as they hit agains the windows.

"We're gonna take them right past here. All that noise could distract them, well clear it on our way back tonight. We don't want any surprises tomorrow." Rick says, before beginning to walk once more.

We draw nearer to the quarry and the sound of the walkers grows louder and louder until soon it's the only thing we can here. We walk forward and I see a pair of trucks blocking off the entrance to further into the quarry. Rick walks forward and climbs up on top of a truck, turning to face us all.

"I know this sounds insane, but this is an insane world. We have to come for them, before they come for us. It's that simple. This is where it all starts tomorrow." Rick says, gesturing behind him, "Tobin gets in the truck, opens the exit and we're off. He hops out, catches up with him team at Redding and stays on the west side of the road. Daryl gets on his bike-" He explains when a noise comes from inside the quarry.

I look over towards the other side and see one of the trucks on the others side begin to fall away from the ledge. My heart pounds in my chest as it collapses and falls on top of the walkers down below.

"Its open!" Someone yells from behind me.

"We gotta do this now!" Rick yells, climbing down off of the truck, "Tobin's group get moving now!"

"Rick we're not ready!" Carter yells as I pull my gun out and begin to go towards my group as Rick yells instructions to the others. Glenn quickly speaks to him before rushing off with Nicholoas and Heath.

"They're coming!" Daryl yells and I see a walker try to push its way through the small gap.

"Tobin you hit it on my signal. They're heading for home! We don't have a choice." Rick yells.

Michonne taps my shoulder and I nod turning and begin to make my way away from here with Morgan close behind. I hear the flares begin to sound and the truck move. Soon Rick meets up with our group and we begin to make our way towards our next point.

We keep up a brisk jog as Rick talks into the walkie, "Everybody keep their heads, just keep up."

We continue to run through the woods until we reach the road once more, slowing down. Rick grabs the walkie and talks into it, "Glenn, you there yet?"

"Almost, we'll have a handle before they get here. Well met you at yellow." He answers.

"Copy that." Rick says as we stand behind the RV, waiting for our time.

"It'll hold." Rick says and I nod, "Well that's good, you know considering where we're standing." I say, turning to give him a cheeky grin.

He shakes his head with a smile and I chuckle when Morgan speaks, "Michonne?"

"Yeah?" She asks and I turn to face him.

"Back when you were in that place, where I lived... Did you take one of my protein bars?" He asks.

"No." She says.

"See, I could have sworn there was one more peanut butter left." He pushes and she sighs, "That's how it is isn't it? You always think there's one more peanut butter left."

I smirk and shake my head before turning and looking back to the RV. I soon hear the sound of Daryl's bike and the walkers following after him. We get into position and I pull out my flare gun, standing beside Morgan. Rick fires the first flare and we soon follow after, all of us firing at different times. Soon we hear the banging of walkers walking against the wall and it moves but doesn't fall. We continue firing until we know it has worked and they continue on the track we lead them on.

After a while Rick turns to us, "Let's go."

I nod and we begin to make our way to meet up with the others who are further ahead. We go along side the road and I see the massive hoard stumbling along the road mindlessly. Soon Glenn and the others meet up with us and we see the others just ahead.

"Everyone!" Rick calls out and I turn to him, "We need to finish this. We have to keep moving and fan out down that thing, front to back. Like we said, no break. Glenn you take the back, you have the other walkie. If they get sloppy, we fire our weapons and pull them back on track. Alright one after the other."

I nod and stay towards the middle, beginning to walk along side of them. We walk for a while when I hear someone begin to scream from further ahead. I keep my position and know that Rick will take care of it and soon there is some gunfire from the other side. After a minute it stops and I nod my head, letting out a relieved breath before continuing on.

As I walk all of a sudden a loud horn begins to sound from back towards home and I turn and look at it with wide eyes, "Fuck!" I hiss running towards the direction of where Rick will be.

I push my legs forward as my heart beats ferociously, the sound of walkers coming from behind me. Something is going on at home and it's bad news and what ever it is is going to cost us dearly.